Quarter Peals Report 2007


Quarter Peal report 2007

 

2007 has been another good year for quarter peals in the Lincoln Guild area.  It gets more difficult to pick them all up these days as they are not only reported in the Ringing World and Central Branch Newsletter but also on Campanophile and in various branch websites. A total of 580 quarters and a half-peal were recorded, which is 42 more than last year, but still not the highest since I started doing these reports. Over 230 were rung on Sundays or for other services. 17 were rung on handbells (from minimus to royal) and 5 in movable towers. 160 were rung in the Central branch in 37 towers, 132 in 17 towers in the Northern Branch, 102 in 30 towers in Southern, 88 in 34 Eastern branch towers, 86 in 15 in West Lindsey and 13 in 10 towers in Elloe Deaneries Branch. 17 were rung by visiting bands. The new towers to feature in the list this year are Lincoln Chedburgh Campanile, Welton-le-Wold, Marshchapel and The Guild Simulator.  Barrow-on-Humber had their first quarter following augmentation and Wainfleet St Mary theirs following restoration.  The towers where the most quarter peals were rung were Elsham (42), Grasby (35) and Market Deeping (26).  North Somercoates last appeared in 1994, Gedney (1995), Old Clee (1996) and Epworth, Grainthorpe and Swinstead all appeared for the first time since 1999.

As you would expect Plain Bob is the most popular method (211) from Minimus to Cinques, then Grandsire 45 (Doubles to Cinques), Cambridge Surprise 39 (Minor to Maximus). A total of 49 individual methods were rung as well as a number in more than one method (up to 29 minor methods in one).  206 of the quarters were of doubles, 201 minor, 90 major, 28 triples, 13 each of royal, caters and singles, 10 minimus, 5 cinques and 2 maximus.  New methods, or new to most of the ringers were noted of the following methods, Potterhanworth Surprise Minor, Surfleet Treble Place Caters, Underwood Surprise Royal, Underwood Delight Major, Humber Bridge Surprise Major and Swindon Surprise Royal.

I have noted the following ringers as having achieved their first quarters – Ruth Kitching (twice!), Rose Lennon, Jennifer Murch, Catherine Stewart, Geoffrey Goddard, Julian Cowan, Jill Cowan, Amy Burkitt, Colin Betteridge, Oliver Wharton, Jane Drinkall, Judith Willcocks, Julia Holiday, Mike Hole, Angela Holt, Wendy Jeins, Lisa Brown, Gemma Evans, Kathryn Blanchard, Tracey Black, Cathy Andrews, Anne Harris, Matthew Hoars, Joe Steede, Derek Bunting, Ian Evans and Samual Palmer.  Well done all of you, may you ring many more.  267 other firsts for various things were recorded.

82 different people conducted the quarters. Paul Meyer called 78, Rt Rev Barry Peachey 65, Christopher Woodcock 53 and Michael Stracey 43. 12 ladies did some conducting with Emma Southerington calling 21 and Joanna Hoare 15.  Elizabeth Stokoe, Rae Todd, Joanna Hoare, Stephen Neate and Patricia Donnelly all called their first, may you call many more.

Early in the year some quarters were rung to mark the 75th anniversary of the death of Rev H Law James (the first Guild master).  10 quarters were rung in thanksgiving for the life of Mary Underwood of Stow, then 5 for Robert Sutton of Waddington, 7 for Vaughan Evans of Grantham and 21 for Keith Buckingham (immediate past master of the Guild).

Several branches ran quarter peal weeks, fortnights or months, so if your branch does something similar in 2008 be sure to get involved.

Michael Stracey